Celgene receives new EU approval for Revlimid

Celgene has announced that its drug Revlimid has been approved by the European Commission for use in an expanded indication.

The therapy is now ratified for use among patients with transfusion-dependent anaemia due to low or intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with an isolated deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality, when other options are insufficient or inadequate.

MDS is a type of cancer that involves disruption to the production of blood cells and platelets in the bone marrow, leading to severe anaemia, infections and bleeding.

This final decision comes after the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended the drug for approval earlier this year.

Alan Colowick, European president of Celgene, said: "We are proud to now be able to start the important work of partnering with our many stakeholders to ensure patients have access to Revlimid for MDS."

Revlimid is now approved for use in nearly 70 countries, including the US, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America.